A Comet Appears
by desrm
Summary: It's as I watch her walk away that I feel as if my world is crumbling around me. Then suddenly, in the distance, a comet appears. oneshot


**This is a random short oneshot! I've always wondered what LP's last moments were like before Peyton left for LA, so this is my version! Hope you enjoy it!**

People are passing me by as I stand motionless. They crudely remind me that the world is still turning even if that's the last thing that I want right now. Even so, I am at a standstill in the middle of the Tree Hill airport. A soft gaze from a pair of green eyes is what brings me back to reality. Peyton Sawyer walks up to me and somehow I find the strength to smile.

She takes one of my hands into hers an entwines our fingers, quickly explaining that Brooke is checking in their luggage. I nod, remaining silent, and draw in a deep breath.

I bring up a hand and let my fingers graze her cheek. She closes her eyes and I can tell she is doing everything she can to savour the feeling of us being together. I press my lips to her forehead and I can faintly hear her whimper as I pull away.

"I don't want to go." she says, her voice strained with stifled sadness. For a second I almost ask her not to. Almost. I know we could spend the summer in each other's arms, listening to music and making love, but rational thought gets the best of me.

"But you're going anyway." I say instead. I can't help but feel like my mouth is deceiving my heart.

She wraps her arms around me, nuzzling my neck and I hold her tightly in response. I close my eyes, doing my best to memorize every single detail about the girl in my arms while I still can: the sweet smell of her hair, the warmth of her body pressed against mine, her breath against my skin and the feel of her lips against my neck as she presses a kiss there.

Like a crude wave of cold water, a shrill voice startles us both out of our trance.

_Flight 61 to Los Angeles is now boarding at gate 22._

I wince and hear a sharp breath escape her. Around us, people are standing to make their way to the gate.

She doesn't move. neither do I. Our eyes find each other and we share a wistful look. I wish with every fiber in my body that I could freeze this moment and stay here with her forever.

"I guess that's my cue." Her voice is so hushed that I can barely make out what she's saying. She's still gazing at me. Her eyes seem to be pleading with me, but I don't know what for.

"Go make the world a better place." I say. Then I lean in. My lips brush against her ear. I hear her gasp as my breath runs over it. I speak, my voice a bare whisper. "I'm going to love you forever, Peyton Sawyer."

She smiles as I deliver the same words that she had given me the night before. Her eyes start to well with tears and it's everything I can do not to take her in my arms, whisk her away and tell her everything is going to be all right.

"I love you, Luke." She chokes out before she lets the urge to sob take over control. Tears run down her face and I make them disappear with featherlight kisses. Suddenly she looks up at me with newfound determination. "I'll come back to you."

"I know." I reply. I believe her, I believe my words. Most of all I believe in us.

I feel a sudden shock course through my body when she crashes her lips on to mine. Her hand finds the hair at the nape of my neck and I moan into the kiss. Our mouths move in unison to a tender motion until she runs her tongue along my bottom lip and I gladly grant her access. Our tongues meet and battle for supremacy. All of our emotions go into that kiss: our sadness, our love, our hope.

The kiss is a promise.

We pull away, our breathing ragged. She takes her hand from the back of my head and runs it down my cheek and neck, finally stopping at my chest. She places it over my beating heart and we both smile.

"I should go." She says after a moment of comfortable silence.

"I'll be seeing you." I murmur. She chuckles and whispers her agreement. I take her hand and softly kiss her knuckles. She pulls away, our hands staying together until the greatest possible distance. Our fingers lose contact and I feel cold. I do my best to offer a supportive smile and she does the same.

It's as I watch her walk away that I suddenly feel as if my world is crumbling down around me. I struggle to breathe as I watch her retreating form become smaller in the distance.

"I love you." I whisper, knowing well that she can't hear me but needing to utter those three syllables one last time, while I can still see every detail of her.

Then I see her suddenly stop walking and turn to face me, as if she had somehow felt my words. I look on at her in confusion, then feel a warmth throughout my body as I can faintly see her smiling when our eyes connect. She raises her hand, giving me a lazy wave, then walks away and out of my line of sight.

I bow down my head, looking at my feet with uncertainty of where I should go from here. The thought that the inevitable has come crosses my mind, and I reluctantly decide to head home. I start for the door, digging into my coat pocket and feeling for my keys. My fingers brush against a piece of paper. I pull it from my pocket and unfold it carefully. I smile as I find that it bares the telltale signs of being a piece of Peyton's art. There's a small note attached to it and I read, grinning shamelessly.

_That's me inside your head, _it says. I drift away into memory lane. It takes me to the first time we spoke and I feel my heart clench. I already miss her. Pursing my lips, I look at the sketch.

I see a boy standing by a river. The road behind him is empty and the trees are bent in the breeze. In the sky there's something mystical.

A comet.

I don't suppress the smile that suddenly takes over my features. Taking one last glance at the boy and comet in the drawing, I gently fold the paper and place it back in my pocket. I walk through the automatic doors and into the airport parking lot. The sun has nearly set and the sky is an array of captivating and luminous colors. I make my way to my car, start the engine and set off with one destination in mind.

I drive in thoughtful silence until I reach around the curb of River Road.

I park my my car away from on coming traffic. I get out and soon find myself leaning against the passenger door, gazing at the body of water before me. I've never thoroughly contemplated the memories that this very place holds. I look to my right and for a second I see Peyton's old car sitting there. I can almost see her face, hear her voice. I can almost feel the guard she protected herself with so fiercely on that day that we first spoke to each other.

I shift my gaze to the sky. It's dark now. The stars are shining brightly. I close my eyes for a moment, sighing and letting the cool air drift around me. When I open them again, my breath catches in my throat. For a split second, I see something streak across the jet black sky. It could be a plane or a satellite. It could be a shooting star...

But to me, it's a comet.

**I hope you enjoyed it, thanks for reading and review if you can! :)**


End file.
